July 16, 2025
ISRA GOVERNING BOARD ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICERS
At the ISRA Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting on July 8, 2025, officer elections were held. Previous to the election that evening, Cheryl Kirk (President) and Laurel Davis (Vice President/Immediate Past President) expressed their desire to step aside from their officer roles and instead become At-Large Governing Board members.
The ISRA Board is pleased to announce that Barry Dixon was elected president, John Thorson was chosen vice president, and Susan Mueller continues as secretary. The treasurer position was not up for re-election, and Todd Burris continues in that role.
Outgoing President Cheryl Kirk stated, “With recent changes in Illinois Racquetball, the timing is right for new ISRA leadership to facilitate and foster new ideas and approaches, both competitive and recreational, both indoor and outdoor.” Kirk continued, “It has been an honor to serve as ISRA President for the past four years. I look forward to contributing here in Illinois, and I will be continuing to work for Racquetball on the national and international levels as well.”
Newly appointed President Barry Dixon said, “I have been associated with the sport for over 35 years—as a player, coach, and board member. Now, as the President of the ISRA, my focus will be to serve the entire racquetball community, including tournament players, juniors, and recreational players. A lot has changed for players in Chicago, but I look forward to working with our incoming Vice President, John Thorson, and the rest of the board to both retain and grow our racquetball community.”
Racquetball players and fans are invited to reach out to Barry Dixon at bdixon01@comcast.net with ideas about how to advance the sport of Racquetball in Illinois.
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ISRA Board of Directors
Officers – Barry Dixon (President), John Thorson (Vice President), Sue Mueller (Secretary), Todd Burris (Treasurer)
At-Large Governing Board Members – Alisa Burris (Webmaster/Social Media), Laurel Davis, Jason Duffecy, Cheryl Kirk (Immediate Past President), John O’Donnell, Jr. (Central Illinois), and Carolyn Vazquez (Outdoor).
Website: ISRAcourtside.com
Facebook: Illinois State Racquetball Association
Instagram: ISRA Illinois Racquetball (israillinois)
Notice of 2025 Annual Meeting and Election of ISRA Board Members
The ISRA Board will hold its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. As with all ISRA meetings, this meeting is open to the membership. The Annual Meeting is particularly important since all members attending have a vote in the election of the ISRA Board of Directors. If you plan to attend, please contact Todd Burris at trburris@comcast.net for time and location.
Board positions are staggered two-year terms.
The following individuals are being re-nominated to the Governing Board:
Alisa Burris, Barry Dixon, Jason Duffecy, John Thorson
According to Article IV, Section IV.2 of the ISRA Bylaws (ratified by the ISRA Board of Directors in April 2023 and posted on the ISRA website):
Additional Director candidates must be nominated in writing by one or more ISRA/USAR members, endorsed by signed petition of at least 50 members, and received by the President prior to May 1. If there are any additional Director nominations, the President shall first verify that the nominee is in agreement to run and serve and shall give notice of said nomination to the public via the ISRA website and email communication on or before May 15 but in no case fewer than 30 days before the Annual Meeting date. The election shall take place at the Annual Meeting in June, by ballot, with only members present voting. If there are no additional nominations, the Nominating Committee’s slate shall be accepted automatically.
Additionally, any ISRA member who wishes to help improve the quality of racquetball in Illinois and familiarize themselves with Board processes is welcome to join the ISRA Auxiliary Board. Come out and support Illinois Racquetball! Please contact ISRA President Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com.
Signed,
The ISRA Nominating Committee
Todd Burris, Susan Mueller, and Carolyn Vazquez
December 31, 2024
Welcome to the 2025 Illinois State Singles and Doubles Championships!
The 2025 Illinois State Singles and Doubles Championships site is open for entries at
https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=46964
Achieve State Champion status and at the same time “warm up” for the Shamrock Shootout in mid-March!
The dates of the tournament are January 31-February 2, and will include the traditional ISRA Annual Awards Ceremony to be held on Saturday evening, February 1, at 6:30 pm.
This amateur racquetball event offering skill and age divisions in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles is being hosted by the ISRA Board of Directors at Glass Court Swim & Fitness, 830 E. Roosevelt Rd., in Lombard, Illinois.
Athletes from across the country are welcome to join in the fun and competition. All participants must be members of USA Racquetball to compete.
Each player may enter a maximum of 3 divisions: 1 singles division and 2 doubles divisions.
Plans are to schedule Singles competition for Friday/Saturday with Doubles/Mixed Doubles on Saturday/Sunday. Adherence to this format will be dependent upon entries in each category/division.
Please review the tournament website for more information about this annual tournament.
The entry deadline is Monday, January 27, at 12:00 noon.
For more information, contact Tournament Director Cheryl Kirk at 630-215-4242.
We look forward to providing a first-class racquetball event!
Sincerely,
The ISRA Board of Directors
December 4, 2024
Letter to Members from ISRA President Cheryl Kirk and the ISRA Board of Directors
Greetings in this Holiday Season!
As 2024 comes to a close and 2025 approaches, we want to connect with you on several topics:
Turkey Shoot Sponsor and Volunteer Recognition
We recently had the pleasure of once again hosting the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour at the 32nd Annual Glass Court Turkey Shoot the weekend before Thanksgiving. On behalf of Glass Court and the ISRA, our warmest thanks go to the sponsors who supported the tournament!
GOLD: PapaNicholas Coffee, Tyler Medical Services, Deb and Geoff Peters, John and Kay O’Donnell, National Masters Racquetball Association
SILVER: Dreger Law (Robert Dreger), DuPage Sports Commission, Women’s Senior/Masters Racquetball Association, Cheryl Kirk and Kit Lawson, Alok Mehta, Anthony’s Pizza (Tony Cosmano), Response Graphics & Embroidery (Lynn and Kevin Yeazell)
BRONZE: Dovetailed by Design (Mike Kinkin), Fellows Roofing (Willie Fellows), Heinz Packaging (Michael Zupke), JW Reedy Realty (Pam Forsberg), Wehrli Home Decorating (Jim Wehrli), Conforti Architecture (Fred Conforti), Dr. Ernesto Tan, John Thorson
We couldn’t have done it without our Volunteers who are always there for us, year in and year out. Much gratitude goes to Alisa Burris, Todd Burris, Laurel Davis, Barry Dixon, Jeremy Dixon, Jason Duffecy, Evelyn Herrera, Dolores Lamberson, Keith Mecklenburg, Liz Molitor, Dave Negrete, Paul Nijensohn, Andy Pitock, Pam Pitock, Mike Russo, Paul Shafar, John Thorson, Claudia Torres, Jairo Torres, Bella Vazquez, and Carolyn Vazquez. You’re the best!
Donations/Memberships – Appeal for Support
The health and well-being of Racquetball’s National Governing Body, USA Racquetball, is critically important to us all. Donations and memberships are the lifeblood of USA Racquetball, and the ISRA Board of Directors want to share with you that we have made an end-of-year contribution of $1,500 back to the organization that has supported us over many years with membership rebates and service to the Racquetball family. We invite you to join us by keeping your membership current or renewing (whether or not a tournament is in your immediate future) or by making a monetary donation on USA Racquetball’s website at www.usaracquetball.com. This sport is an important part of our lives…please help as you are able!
In the New Year…
The ISRA State Singles & Doubles Championships will be hosted at Glass Court, January 31-February 2. The R2 site will be set up later this month, and everyone is warmly invited (a relative term) to this winter event.
As is our tradition, the ISRA Annual Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday evening, February 1, at the tournament, featuring ISRA Male, Female, and Most Improved Players of the Year Awards, the ISRA Distinguished Service Award, and the TJ Ferro Junior Scholarship.
Who will be the recipients this year? Well, a large part of that is up to you! Nominations are now being accepted, and any member of USA Racquetball is welcome to participate. The Board of Directors will vote to select the winners from nominations received.
ISRA Player(s) of the Year Nominations
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025.
Submit your nominations to Illinois State Racquetball Association via e-mail to Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com or to any ISRA Board member.
Male Nominee:
Female Nominee:
Most Improved Player Nominee:
Please include comments regarding your nomination(s) using the following criteria: specific competitive achievements i.e., tournament results), number of years played, sportsmanship, improvement, contribution to the sport of racquetball
NOTE: The more detailed your nomination, the better chance your nominee(s) will have!
Name and phone number of ISRA member initiating nomination:
ISRA Distinguished Service Award Nomination
Submit your nomination form(s) to Illinois State Racquetball Association via e-mail to Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com or to any ISRA Board member.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025.
NOTE: The more detailed your nomination, the better chance your nominee will have!
Nominee’s Name:
Please include comments regarding your nomination(s). Criteria for consideration include commitment to the sport of racquetball, quality of service, and accomplishments benefiting the sport and its players.
Name and phone number of ISRA member initiating nomination:
Thanks for taking the time to recognize deserving people in our sport!
The ISRA Board of Directors wish you and your families a healthy and enjoyable holiday season.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Kirk, Laurel Davis, Susan Mueller, Todd Burris, Alisa Burris, Barry Dixon, Jason Duffecy, John O’Donnell, Jr., John Thorson, and Carolyn Vazquez
ISRA Mid-Year Update
July 23, 2023
Greetings, Team Illinois! Here’s an update that will get us primed for the last half of this year. Here we go…
ISRA New Website Launch
The ISRA is proud to announce the launch of our new website for all of your Illinois racquetball needs. Please visit us at https://isracourtside.com for the latest news, updates, tournament information, and other racquetball-related content. For your convenience, our calendar includes corresponding R2 links for local and national events. Sign up to enter through our site now! Plus, we invite you to check out our site’s additional features. Discover the ISRA’s history through our newsletter archives and enjoy our continuously growing photo gallery, which celebrates the many amazing people who have made and who continue to make Team Illinois such a fantastic community. We’re so glad to welcome you to our new site, and we encourage you to explore it at your leisure. Happy navigating!
Note: The above was contributed by Social Media Director and Webmaster Alisa Burris. We could not be more grateful for her dedication and expertise in making the ISRA better for racquetball players in Illinois and well beyond!
The ISRA Board of Directors held their Annual Meeting on June 6th at Glass Court. Elections were held as part of the meeting agenda. Returning to the Board of Directors are Alisa Burris, Mike Davern, Barry Dixon, and John Thorson. Re-elected officers effective July 1 are Cheryl Kirk (President) and Susan Mueller (Secretary). They re-join Vice President Laurel Davis and Treasurer Todd Burris on the ISRA Executive Committee.
We are grateful to Eric Mathews for his board service over the past several years, and we await the coming news of the birth of Baby Mathews to mom and dad Brittany and Eric!
Junior Team Illinois will resume at Glass Court in early October under the leadership of Head Coach Barry Dixon and Coach John Thorson. Email Barry at bdixon01@comcast.net for more information and to get on the mailing list for updates as time grows near!
Watch the ISRA Facebook page for information about a Racquetball 101 clinic schedule beginning this fall. Glass Court’s Dan Jaskier will welcome members, friends of members, and any beginners interested in learning more about what this great sport has to offer! Why Play Racquetball? Come find out!
TOURNAMENTS – LOCAL and NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL – OH MY!
30th Annual Summerfest, 7/28-7/30, Glass Court, Lombard (Indoor)
Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of racquetball, cocktails, and outdoor pool relaxation. All tournament players are allowed to bring one free guest to enjoy the outdoor pool. Glass Court Swim & Fitness will provide fruit and meals to tournament players throughout the event. Entries are open at this link until Monday evening, July 24th. https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=41427
8/12 — WindyCity3WallBrawl, Rainbow Beach, Chicago (Outdoor) https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=41457
Good luck to Team Illinois players traveling to compete in Denver, 8/10-13, a Keith Minor sponsored event! (Indoor) Entries are closed, but be sure to check out the tournament site when the action starts and cheer on Team Illinois players who will be competing at Highlands Ranch: Thomas Carter, Tony Cosmano, Eugene Coyle, Kelly Gremley, Juan Herrera, Juan (JC) Herrera II, Derek Izzi, Alok Mehta, Keith Minor, Susan Mueller, Dan Pacetti, Fernando Javier Rivera, Jairo Torres, Montserrat Torres, Tejas Veer, and Robert Weber. https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=39922
8/29-9/2 — 38th World Senior Racquetball Championships, Las Vegas, New Mexico (Indoor) https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=40754
September 9 or 10 (TBA) — Worldwide Racquetball Day Shootout at Glass Court (Indoor) Check R2 soon to enter and compete on the same day as players across the USA and around the globe!
9/27-10/1 — KWM Gutterman 2023 3WallBall World Championships at The Strat Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada (Outdoor) Early Team Illinois entrants are Derek Izzi, Keith Minor, Jairo Torres, and Montserrat Torres. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=40677
Last Half October — Pan American Games, Santiago, Chile (Indoor) Five U.S. Adult National Team athletes will compete against athletes from 10 other countries on Racquetball’s biggest international stage: Daniel De La Rosa, Adam Manilla, Alejandro Landa, Erika Manilla, and Michelle Key. Pablo Fajre, Jen Meyer, and Rodger Fleming will coach and support the athletes there.
First Half November — IRF World Junior Championships, Tarija, Bolivia (Indoor) Congratulations to Brielle Fernando (Wheaton), who qualified for the U.S. Junior Team in Girls 18 & Under Singles and will compete in her first international tournament. ISRA President Cheryl Kirk will be serving as U.S. Team Leader for this event.
And then it will be time for the Glass Court Turkey Shoot, November 16-19, the weekend before Thanksgiving!
That takes us all the way into the holiday season!
Contact ISRA President Cheryl Kirk with any questions or suggestions at cherylkkirk@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Your ISRA Board of Directors: Arun Baskaran, Alisa Burris, Todd Burris, Mike Davern, Laurel Davis, Barry Dixon, Alcides Gutierrez, Cheryl Kirk, Susan Mueller, John O’Donnell, Jr., John Thorson, Carolyn Vazquez
Auxiliary Board Members: Marian Bala, Jason Duffecy, Jeff Grace, Dan Jaskier, Kit Lawson, Dave Milazzo, Liz Molitor, Andy Pitock
P.S. Is your USA Racquetball membership current? If it’s not…could it be? Please?
It’s $65/year or $60 with auto renew at www.usaracquetball.com (sign in to your membership profile) or if you’ve never been a member, go to https://www.r2sports.com/cartRoot/products.asp?companyID=86&brandIDs=228
If you’re a current member (thank you!) and are in a position to make a tax deductible donation to USA Racquetball, visit the home page at www.usaracquetball.com. Any amount helps!
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May 1, 2023
Racquetball Players and Fans, we made it through the Illinois winter! Here’s an update from the ISRA Board of Directors, delivered by ISRA President Cheryl Kirk.
Since the last time we wrote, Racquetball in Illinois has been hopping. In addition to the ISRA State Singles & Doubles Championships and Annual Awards Ceremony in February and the PapaNicholas Coffee 38th Annual Shamrock Shootout & IRT Pro Stop in March, there have been leagues and shootouts offered by Michael Russo, Kelley Gremley, and Dave Negrete to keep players engaged and excited about playing.
We’re proud that Glass Court is hosting the USA Racquetball National Adult Team Singles Qualifying In Memory of Geoff Peters / Glass Court Doubles Shootout, May 26-28, 2023. We lost Geoff on May 27, 2022, and we miss him every day. Geoff’s wife Debra along with daughter Kara and son Kevin will be there to watch U.S. athletes compete for a spot on the 2023-24 U.S. Team, taking place on the very court that was dedicated to Geoff on September 25, 2021. Whether you’re planning to come and play in the offered amateur divisions or to just enjoy watching the elite athletes compete, everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, visit: https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=41063.
On the summer/early fall schedule, mark your calendars for the Glass Court Summerfest, July 28-30, and a special Worldwide Racquetball Day Shootout, September 9 and/or 10, also at Glass Court.
To recap other recent and upcoming activities…
ISRA Annual Awards
The ISRA Annual Awards ceremony took place Saturday evening, February 18, on the Glass Stadium Court. Congrats to the winners and the nominees as well!
2022 Male Player of the Year: Keith Minor. Also nominated were Thomas Carter and Thomas George
2022 Female Player of the Year: Kristin Coulter
2022 Most Improved Player of the Year: Juan C. (JC) Herrera II. Also nominated were Thomas George and Montserrat Torres
2023 Distinguished Service Award: John Thorson. Also nominated was Barry Dixon
- J. Ferro Junior Scholarship Awards:Brielle Fernando, Juan C. (JC) Herrera II, and Montserrat Torres
Well-deserved recognition was provided to three sponsors who have been here for Illinois Racquetball with their generous support of IRT, LPRT, and Illinois State Championship events: Keith Minor (KWM Gutterman), Platt Hill (Platt Hill Nursery), and Jim Schlicher (PapaNicholas Coffee).
Junior Team Illinois
JTI wrapped up its season on April 2nd with a family day and pizza party hosted by Coaches Barry Dixon and John Thorson. It was a great season, and we look forward to starting up again in early October!
ISRA Annual Meeting
As posted on the website in more detail, the ISRA Board of Directors will hold their Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. As with all ISRA meetings, this meeting is open to members. The Annual Meeting is particularly important since all members attending have a vote in the election of the ISRA Board of Directors. If you would like to attend, please contact Susan Mueller at skm713@yahoo.com for time and location.
Social Media and ISRA Website
The ISRA website is under construction with a whole new look including updated information and features. Webmaster and Social Media Coordinator Alisa Burris has taken on this challenge, and it’s moving forward toward completion this summer. The existing website is still up and running at www.illinoisracquetball.com. The new one will have a different web address, to be announced.
Not all news is good news…
Numerous LA Fitness closings in the Chicagoland area have significantly reduced the number of courts available to indoor racquetball, handball, paddleball, and wallyball players. This has many players looking for new racquetball homes, something so many of us understand far too well. It’s not just finding a different place to play…it’s also potentially losing touch with the Racquetball family who have gathered in those locations. It is painful.
Players, stay in contact and fight for this sport and the friendships that have brought us so much. Club owners,please keep your courts and explore ways to program other activities that still render courts playable but also generate revenue to make those courts profitable for you. USA Racquetball offers information at https://www.teamusa.org/usa-racquetball/about/strategies-for-saving-courts/court-programming and also at https://www.teamusa.org/usa-racquetball/about/strategies-for-saving-courts/more-information.
Moving Forward
Would you be interested in periodic ISRA Zoom sessions to talk about “everything Racquetball”? Recently it was suggested that ISRA members might like to connect with the ISRA Board of Directors “face to face” (perhaps on Zoom?) to get to know us better, exchange ideas, share thoughts and suggestions, ask questions, maybe explore future Board service? We would love that! If you would like us to schedule some Zoom sessions, please write to cherylkkirk@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Your ISRA Board of Directors: Arun Baskaran, Alisa Burris, Todd Burris, Mike Davern, Laurel Davis, Barry Dixon, Alcides Gutierrez, Cheryl Kirk, Eric Mathews, Susan Mueller, John O’Donnell, Jr., John Thorson, Carolyn Vazquez
Auxiliary Board Members: Marian Bala, Jason Duffecy, Jeff Grace, Dan Jaskier, Kit Lawson, Dave Milazzo, Liz Molitor, Andy Pitock
P.S. Is your USA Racquetball membership current? If it’s not…could it be? Please? How can we help?
It’s $65/year or $60 with auto renew at www.usaracquetball.com (sign in to your membership profile) or if you’ve never been a member, go to https://www.r2sports.com/cartRoot/products.asp?companyID=86&brandIDs=228
If you’re a current member (thank you!) and are in a position to make a tax deductible donation to USA Racquetball, visit the home page at www.usaracquetball.com. Any amount helps!
Notice of Annual Meeting and Election of ISRA Board Members
The ISRA Board will hold its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. As with all ISRA meetings, this meeting is open to the membership. The Annual Meeting is particularly important since all members attending have a vote in the election of the ISRA Board of Directors. If you plan to attend, please contact Susan Mueller at skm713@yahoo.com for time and location.
Board positions are staggered two-year terms.
The following individuals are being re-nominated to the Governing Board:
Alisa Burris, Mike Davern, Barry Dixon, John Thorson
According to Article IV, Section IV.2 of the ISRA Bylaws (ratified by the ISRA Board of Directors in June 2022 and posted on the ISRA website):
Additional Director candidates must be nominated in writing by one or more ISRA/USAR members, endorsed by signed petition of at least 50 members, and received by the President prior to May 1. If there are any additional Director nominations, the President shall first verify that the nominee is in agreement to run and serve and shall give notice of said nomination to the public via the ISRA website and email communication on or before May 15 but in no case fewer than 30 days before the Annual Meeting date. The election shall take place at the Annual Meeting in June, by ballot, with only members present voting. If there are no additional nominations, the Nominating Committee’s slate shall be accepted automatically.
Additionally, any ISRA member who wishes to help improve the quality of racquetball in Illinois and familiarize themselves with Board processes is welcome to join the ISRA Auxiliary Board. Come out and support Illinois Racquetball! Please contact ISRA President Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com.
Signed,
The ISRA Nominating Committee
Susan Mueller (Chair), Todd Burris, and Arun Baskaran
Message from ISRA President Cheryl Kirk
January 24, 2023
Three Things!
1 — Competition: ISRA State Singles & Doubles Championships
2 — Recognition: Annual Awards
3 — Communication: Let’s Zoom!
COMPETITION
State Championships – The ISRA State Doubles Championships, originally scheduled for January 28-29, has been combined with the ISRA State Singles Championships, February 17-19. We’re taking entries!
Players from adjacent states are also welcome to participate (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin). Call your buddies in those states! https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=40406
RECOGNITION
The ISRA Annual Awards Ceremony will be held at Glass Court at 6:00 pm on February 18th. Everyone is invited!
Speaking of which, the deadline is fast approaching: ISRA Annual Awards – Call for Nominations!
Nominations for the ISRA Hall of Fame, ISRA Players of the Year and the ISRA Distinguished Service Award are being accepted through January 30, 2023. Submit your nominations to ISRA President Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com with your name, cell number, the name(s) of the nominee(s), and the reasons why you feel they should receive the award, together with a list of their achievements. Note: The more detailed the nominations (including tournament results), the better chance your nominee(s) will have!
Those making nominations, and the nominees themselves, must be USA Racquetball members. Player of the Year nominees may play at any level. Winners will be selected by the ISRA Governing Board from the submitted nominations.
ISRA 2022 Players of the Year — Please submit nominations for Male Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player based on the below criteria. Include comments regarding their:
Accomplishments
Number of years playing racquetball
Sportsmanship
Improvement
Contribution to the sport of racquetball
ISRA 2023 Distinguished Service Award — Criteria for consideration include:
Commitment to the sport of racquetball in Illinois
Quality of service
Accomplishments benefiting the sport and its players
We look forward to receiving your nominations!
TJ Ferro 2023 Junior Scholarship Award – This award is decided upon by the ISRA Board of Directors. Any Junior player, 18 and under, may submit an application. The deadline is February 3, 2023 (latest). Please contact Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com for an application.
COMMUNICATION
As the ISRA website renovation project is underway, we encourage everyone to stay connected primarily through Facebook — ISRA Facebook: Illinois State Racquetball Association (832 likes and 891 followers). Please like and follow us!
Recently it was suggested that ISRA members might like to connect with the ISRA Board of Directors “face to face” (perhaps on Zoom?) to get to know us better, exchange ideas, share thoughts and suggestions, ask questions, maybe explore future Board service? We would love that! After the smoke clears on the Shamrock Shootout in mid-March (y’all come!), look for an invitation to join us and talk about one of our very favorite subjects: Racquetball. More to come!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Kirk and the ISRA Board of Directors: Arun Baskaran, Alisa Burris, Todd Burris, Mike Davern, Laurel Davis, Barry Dixon, Alcides Gutierrez, Eric Mathews, Susan Mueller, John O’Donnell, Jr., John Thorson, Carolyn Vazquez
P.S. Is your USA Racquetball membership current? If it’s not…could it be? Please? How can we help? It’s $65/year or $60 with auto renew at www.usaracquetball.com (sign in to your membership profile) or if you’ve never been a member, go to https://www.r2sports.com/cartRoot/products.asp?companyID=86&brandIDs=228
ISRA YEAR-END REPORT
December 30, 2022
By ISRA President Cheryl Kirk
Greetings to all as we move together into 2023!
To put a bow on 2022, I’d like to cover a few Illinois racquetball topics that come under the general headings of:
Support (Memberships/Donations): USA Racquetball / ISRA
Communication: ISRA Website and Social Media
Competition: State and National Tournament Schedule
Recognition: ISRA Hall of Fame and Annual Awards
Our Future: Junior Team Illinois
Gratitude: So Much to be Thankful For!
This is a long one, so grab a cup of coffee, maybe a brownie, and settle in!
SUPPORT
Membership/Donations
The most critical issue is Memberships/Donations, i.e., returning our sport to health now and sustaining it for the future. During the pandemic, USA Racquetball and consequently the ISRA lost a significant number of USAR/ISRA memberships. To be brief and straightforward:
— The sport can’t survive in the United States without the infrastructure USA Racquetball provides.
— We need Illinois players, past and present, to view membership as an investment in this loved sport, not just a “competitive license.”
— Please renew your membership. It’s $65/year or $60 with auto renew at www.usaracquetball.com (sign in to your membership profile) or if you’ve never been a member, go to https://www.r2sports.com/cartRoot/products.asp?companyID=86&brandIDs=228
If you’re a current member (thank you!) and are in a position to make a tax deductible year-end donation (by midnight Saturday 12/31!) to USA Racquetball, visit the home page at www.usaracquetball.com. Any amount helps!
That’s as plain as it gets. Take a look at the value infographic that appears on the ISRA Facebook page and on our website home page. What are we willing to reminisce about that’s no longer here for us? We have something very special to preserve, and it will take more than a handful of players in each state to do it. Will you please help Illinois do our part? If everyone could contribute just a few dollars, the impact would be powerful.
COMMUNICATION
ISRA Website and Social Media
The ISRA website is currently under construction and will feature a whole new look and upgraded functionality. Webmaster Alisa Burris has taken on this challenge. We’ll keep you posted!
Due to the cost of producing ISRA Courtside several times a year, we moved to social media along with our website as our primary modes of communicating Illinois racquetball news to Team Illinois and beyond. Alisa Burris is also our Social Media Coordinator, and because of her diligence and assistance, the ISRA’s social media efforts have progressed nicely.
ISRA Facebook: Illinois State Racquetball Association (830 likes and 884 followers)
Instagram: israillinois (184 followers)
Please like and follow us!
National Newsletter
You should be receiving Serving Up the News via email around the middle of each month. This is a way to stay current with our sport on the national level. It’s uplifting to see so much going on across the country with U.S. Adult and Junior Team competitions, the Pro Tours, and USAR National Championships!
Speaking of which…
COMPETITION
State and National Tournaments (not all-inclusive)
There’s a whole lotta competition going on…let me toss out a few right here/right now:
33rd Annual WSMRA National Championships Entry deadline January 5, 2023 www.wsmra.com
January 12-15, 2023 Tucson Racquet Club, Tucson, AZ
Good luck to Team Illinois players Diane Bunker, Cheryl Kirk, Sue Mueller, Julie Vincent, and Lynn Yeazell!
ISRA State Doubles Championships https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=40405
January 28-29, 2023 Tournament Director: Laurel Davis
Entries are open. Players from adjacent states are welcome to participate (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin)
USAR National Doubles & Singles Championships https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=39974
February 1-5, 2023 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
ISRA State Singles Championships & Annual Awards Ceremony Taking entries beginning mid-January
February 17-19, 2023 Tournament Director: Cheryl Kirk
Players from adjacent states are welcome to participate (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin)
PapaNicholas 38th Annual Shamrock Shootout – Tier 1 IRT Pro Stop Taking entries beginning mid-January
March 16-19, 2023 Tournament Directors: Dan Jaskier (630) 629-3390 / Cheryl Kirk (630) 215-4242
Sponsors welcome – contact Dan!
National Adult Team Singles Qualifying, In Memory of Geoff Peters
May 25-28, 2023 Lombard, IL
All of the above local tournaments will be competed at Glass Court Swim & Fitness in Lombard. We can’t thank Dan Jaskier and Joe DeArmas enough for being such great supporters and hosts for racquetball in Illinois!
RECOGNITION
ISRA Hall of Fame and Annual Awards – Call for Nominations!
Nominations for the ISRA Hall of Fame, ISRA Players of the Year and the ISRA Distinguished Service Award are being accepted through January 30, 2023. Submit your nominations to ISRA President Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com with your name, cell number, the name(s) of the nominee(s), and the reasons why you feel they should receive the award, together with a list of their achievements. Note: The more detailed the nominations (including tournament results), the better chance your nominee(s) will have!
Those making nominations, and the nominees themselves, must be USA Racquetball members. Player of the Year nominees may play at any level. Winners will be chosen by the ISRA Governing Board and will be honored at the ISRA Annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Glass Court in conjunction with the ISRA State Singles Championships.
ISRA Hall of Fame
The objective of the ISRA Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in Racquetball. Those areas include, but are not limited to, playing ability, sportsmanship, leadership, and development. The award is based upon years of consistent excellence in one or more areas. Please visit http://www.illinoisracquetball.com/?page_id=249 for a full description of the ISRA Hall of Fame nomination criteria.
ISRA 2022 Players of the Year
Please submit nominations for Male Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player based on the below criteria. Include comments regarding their:
Accomplishments
Number of years playing racquetball
Sportsmanship
Improvement
Contribution to the sport of racquetball
ISRA 2023 Distinguished Service Award
Criteria for consideration include:
Commitment to the sport of racquetball in Illinois
Quality of service
Accomplishments benefiting the sport and its players
We look forward to receiving your nominations!
OUR FUTURE
Junior Team Illinois
The best way to preserve this sport for the next generation is to teach people to play! Head Coach Barry Dixon, assisted by John Thorson, Marian Bala, Liz Molitor, Andy Pitock, and Jairo Torres, launched the new Junior Team Illinois (up to age 21) season at Glass Court in October. If you have family members (their friends, too!) who would like to see what this fabulous sport is all about, contact Barry Dixon at bdixon01@comcast.net for more information.
JTI members Montserrat Torres and Axel Lopez competed in Mixed 14 & Under Doubles last summer at USAR Junior Nationals and qualified for the U.S. Junior Team! Earlier this month, they competed for Junior Team USA on the international stage in Guatemala City at the IRF World Junior Championships. This was the first time in decades that Illinois players have qualified for Junior Team USA, and we couldn’t be prouder! For a full description of the event, including photos, check out the Daily Blogs at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Racquetball/Features/2022/December/02/Junior-Worlds-Blog.
GRATITUDE
So Much to be Thankful For!
This year-end report would be much longer if I were to try and list everyone who has contributed to Illinois Racquetball in ways big and small this past year. To the Board of Directors, the Auxiliary Board, the many volunteers, the JTI coaches and parents, and all of our USAR/ISRA members, thank you for staying the course and for continuing to play and to lend strength to the best sport on the planet!
To Platt Hill and his family (Platt Hill Nursery), and to Jim Schlicher and PapaNicholas Coffee, you have steadfastly supported Glass Court and Illinois Racquetball as Title Sponsors of the IRT and LPRT pro stops. Keith Minor (KWM Gutterman), you are always there for us with your consistent encouragement and support. The three of you, along with the other much-valued sponsors of the Shamrock Shootout and the Turkey Shoot Open, have been instrumental in keeping Illinois a respected part of the national racquetball scene. In the same vein, we remember and dearly miss Geoff Peters for his leadership, drive, and hard work on all of our behalf.
To Mike Russo and Eric Mathews, and to all of the players who have participated in the Singles and Doubles Cash Leagues, we thank you for your support of Illinois Junior Racquetball. We appreciate you so much!
There are so many more of you who make a difference, and you are all near and dear to our hearts. This sport is well worth all of our efforts, and we are incredibly grateful for the Illinois Racquetball Family.
Wishing everyone health, safety, success, and happiness in the coming year!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Kirk and the ISRA Board of Directors: Arun Baskaran, Alisa Burris, Todd Burris, Mike Davern, Laurel Davis, Barry Dixon, Alcides Gutierrez, Eric Mathews, Susan Mueller, John O’Donnell, Jr., John Thorson, Carolyn Vazquez